Envelope fastener means



Jan. 13, 1931. P. l... ANDREWS 8 I I ENVELOPE FASTENER MEANS Filed April 8, 1929 lllil BY %W 7 XATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. .13, 1931 Qumran STATES a re L. J I- E f 1 e rnns'ron 1;. nnnnnws, or BROQKLYN, ivnw You ENVELOPE. mam MnAivs Application filed nprnfa leze. Serial, No. 353,3 0.

This invention relates, generally, to

provements in fasteners for envelopes; and the invention has reference,-- more particularly, to a self-adjusting fastener means for retaining the flaps of envelopes infclosed relation to the body thereofs l This invention has for itsprinc'ipal object to provide a fastener means for envelope flaps of such novel construction and arrange- 10 ment that the flap may be readily adjusted,

closed and secured relative to enclosures of varying sizes which may be inserted within the envelope, and the flap thereupon retained in desired closed condition without risk of undue or excessive strain being exerted on' 1 either the envelope body, its flap or the fastener elenients per so. To this end the novel fastener means comprises a disc-like button riveted or otherwise permanentlysecured to 20, the envelope body and a longitudinally slotted fastener tab which is secured to the en-V velope flaps in depending projection from the free margin thereof; the slot of said fastener tab being of less width than the di- 5 ameter of said button, so that the tab may be engaged under the button by passing the latter through the slot of said tab.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which 5' Fig. l is a rear face view of an envelope provided with the novel fastener means made according to and embodying the principles of this invention; Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary trans- 40 verse sectional view of the same, taken on line 3-3 in Figure l and drawn on an enlarged scale. l Figure l is a fragmentary detail rear-fac view, showing a slightly modified button element; and Figure 5 is a sectional view through the latter, taken on line 5 5 in Fig ure 4. 7

cate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings,-the reference character 5-in'dicates-an envelope body having the usual flap 6 at its open endf-This en velo'pe' body and its flap maybe of any shape orp-sizedesired, and may be made of any be suitable material. v j

"Secured tothe back wall of said envelope body 5, in downwardly spaced relation to the free edge of the flap 6 when said flap is folded down upon the envelope back in closed relation to-the open end of the envelope body, is a disc-like button 7, This button 7 may be made ofany suitable material, but is pref-' erably made ofheavy paper stock. Said buttegralpart thereof, is a downwardly projecting: fastener tab 9, -which is so disposed as to longitudinally align itself to the button 7 when the flap is closed over the back of the envelope body." This fastener tab 9 is 7: provided with a longitudinally disposed elongated slot 10: If said fastener tab 9 is made integral with the flap 6 it will, of course, consist in the same material as that of which i theienvelope body and flap are made; when -8 produced as an independent part, however, the same may be made of any suitable material having some flexibility In the use of envelopes equipped with the novel fastener means above described, after thematter desired to be enclosed in theenvelopehas been inserted, the envelope flap 6 is turned downwa'rdly over and-upon the back of the envelope body 5, whereupon the button 7 -is passed'through the slot 10 of button 7, as shown in the drawings. Owing to the elon ated shape of the fastener tab slot 10, the described cooperative engagement of fastener tab and 'button may be easily and quiclrlyobtained whether the'flap 6 projects" over the envelop back for its entire or but a partof its extent; In other words, the 109 novel fastener means is self-adjusting. If, for example, the matter enclosed in the envelope is somewhat longer than the depth of the envelope interior, or if the thickness of the enclosed matter tends to foreshorten the overlap of the flap 6, nevertheless the fastener tab 9 andits slot 10 will readilyadjust itself to the button 7 under such conditions, and may be as readily engaged with the button so as to adequately retain the flap 6 in closed relation tothe envelope body; This is indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1 of the drawings. K

Referring to Figures 4 and 5 I have shown a-modiiied form ofthe button element of the fastener means, thesame comprising a disclike body so formed as to provide a depressed central portion 7 through which the rivet 8 is engaged, and anupwardly ofi setperipheral flange 7 which latter part is upwardly spaced by the depressed centralgportion 7 somewhat above the envelope backto which the element is secured.

With the button element thus formed and arranged the fastener tab 9 maybe quickly and easily buttoned'overvthe same,.and the margins of the tab slot 10 will slide easily beneath the peripheral flange 7 .1

.From' the foregoing it will be obvious that the novel fastener means is capable of. 7

rapid manipulation both in connection with fastening and unfastening operations; that the same provides a secure flap fastening means which lies substantially flatly upon-the envelope back so as to undergo little risk of being caught or torn awaywhen the envelope equipped therewith is mixed with quantity mail matter or otherwise; and that the same provides the advantage of readily adjusting itself to a variety'of positions of the closing flap when the envelopes are used to contain enclosures ofvariable length or bulk.

From. the standpoint of manufacturing cost, the novel. fastener means is inexpensive both with respect to the materials involved and with respect to cost of production. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim .1. The combination with an envelope and its flap of a flexible fastener tabextending downwardly from the free end of said flap, the exposed portion ofsaid tab having a single slot extending longitudinally therein, and a disc-like button riveted to the envelope body so that its peripheral portions are free, whereby said button may be passed through said flexible slotted fastener tab so that the latter may longitudinally adjust itself to said button according to the degree of overlap of said flap upon said envelope body. 2. A fastener means for an envelope hav-- ing a closing flap, comprising a disc-like to leave'its marginal portions free, and a fastenertab of more or less flexible material extending from the free endof said closing ingaclosingflap, comprising a disc-like paper button element having a depressed cen- 'tral-portion and a peripheral flange upwardly v ,off-set from said central portion, a rivet extending through said central portion to se-' cure said button element to theenvelope body beneath the flap thereof, and a fiexiblejrelatively narrow fastenertab extending from the fr'eeend of said flap, said fastener tab having a singlelongitudinal slot through which said button element may be passed to,

dispose its peripheral flange in overlying relation to said tab.

In testimony that I claim the invention set'forth above I have hereunto set my hand this25'day of March, 1929. l

PRESTON L. ANDREWS. 

